Just One Food - 4 Mix Butter Cookies (from Hong Kong)

I was recently gifted a box of 4 Mix Butter Cookies from my sister-in-law's travels to Hong Kong.  Oh goody....I love a 'souvenir' that I can eat...hihihi! ;D  It's certainly better than getting a keychain which usually ends up gathering dust and finds its way to the trash bin later, don't you think? ^_~

Some of you might be wondering what's so great about a box of butter cookies.  Well, they're no ordinary butter cookies but the famous butter cookies from Jenny Bakery in Hong Kong which is notoriously known for its long queue.

First and foremost, the cookies are packed in some of the cutest teddy bear can designs...and this is the Composer 2018 design (from December).

These cookies are incredibly popular and they have led to many counterfeit cookies springing up.  So famous are they that the can designs have to be changed monthly to prevent knock-offs.  You can even follow their monthly design (posted in their website) to ensure you're getting the real deal.

These cookies, besides being sold in Hong Kong in only 2 branches (with no authorised resellers or distributors in any other location in Hong Kong), are also available in Shanghai, Seoul and Singapore.

When I opened the can of cookies, the first whiff of aroma I got was the smell of coffee and then butter when the can was brought closer to my nose.  The distinct smell of coffee is what every coffee lover will appreciate as it heightens the anticipation of what it'll taste like.

This 320g can of 4 Mix Butter Cookies consists of 4 types of cookies.  I found 10 pcs of butter flower, 9 pcs of coffee flower, 8 pcs of raisin oat and 7 pcs of shortbread for a total of 34 pcs.  A check on their website revealed that a 320g can retails for HKD75 (or about RM40), also available in 380g @ HKD90 and 640g @ HKD140.

The Butter Flower is their classic butter cookie shaped like a flower.  There's no doubt that there's a strong buttery taste but not overwhelming at the same time.  The cookie is airy with that perfect crumb and has that melt-in-your-mouth texture once you bite into it.

Next, the Coffee Flower is similar to the Butter Flower in terms of texture except for the addition of coffee flavour.  The strong aroma of coffee will be embraced enthusiastically by coffee lovers...and no coffee taste is too strong for coffee devotees. ^.^

The Shortbread, which supposedly has more butter compared to the butter flower, has a firmer texture that still literally crumble in your mouth with an equally good dose of butter flavour (but I couldn't tell if the butter taste was stronger than the Butter Flower though).

Finally, the Raisin Oat with toasted oats and chopped raisins has a nice crisp texture with a strong aroma of coffee as well (can't say I tasted the raisins though).  Some were of the opinion that the Shortbread and Raisin Oat was drier but I didn't feel so.  I think the firmer texture of these two cookies led to a less crumbly texture which made them feel they were drier when they're not.  I don't mind this firmer texture at all.

All four cookies were good but my favourite is definitely the coffee flavoured ones.  What can I say....I'm a coffee addict lover through and through! ^o^  It depends really on what you like...if it's a superior crumbly texture you're after, then the flower design types will be your preferred pick.  If you like a firmer texture of that resembling a proper cookie more, then the Raisin Oat and Shortbread will have your stamp of approval.

There's nothing quite like having a cup of coffee (or tea for some) to complement these cookies for maximum enjoyment.  It's quite a revelation that something as simple as a butter cookie, made from just wheat flour, butter, sugar and cornstarch, can taste so delicious.  I hear that cornstarch gives cookies that perfect crumb. Well, I wouldn't know since I'm no baker.

When they're all gone, the pretty can is a keeper too! ;)

And that's Cookie checking out the competition of the same name. @_@

All said and done, these are utterly buttery (but no overwhelmingly so until it's cloying), perfectly crumbly (but not fall-apart-at-the-slightest-touch crumbly), not too sweet, full of coffee aroma, 100% natural and preservative-free cookies that cookie aficionados will die for! ^_^  Their huge popularity is probably down to...1) their buttery taste, 2) the fragrant aroma of coffee, 3) that perfect crumbly texture and 4) the ever-so-cute teddy bear can designs.

Perhaps I'm no authority on how good they are compared to other butter cookies as I'm not a massive cookie fan and I've not eaten enough to make a sound judgement or comparison...but let me tell you that the cookies tasted good even for a non-cookie fan.
  

Some people didn't find them as praiseworthy and that's probably down to the high expectations from queuing for so long.  I was gifted a box...I didn't have to queue...so, I didn't have high expectations.  In the end, it's about whether you'd be willing to queue for the cookies and pay around RM1 for each of them.  If you're a cookie fan, you probably would for these rich and decadent cookies.  The next time you're in Hong Kong, get yourself a can to try (if you love cookies) to see if it's worth the hype! ^_~

But not my Cookie! ^_~